International Applicants

International applicants must have their qualifications officially recognised. For degree programmes in Baden-Wuerttemberg, Constance University is the appropriate authority. Application forms for the recognition of qualifications and further information can be found on the Internet site of Constance University - Center for International students.

Non EU/EEA applicants for B.Sc. International Business at Reutlingen University should send their application directly to the university.

EU/EEA applicants for B.Sc. International Business at Reutlingen University must submit their university entrance qualifications to Constance University for recognition from Studienkolleg Constance. The recognition must then be submitted to Reutlingen University before the deadline.

Please note: The State of Baden-Württemberg introduced tuition fees for international students. The corresponding law stipulates that international students are required to pay 1,500 euros per semester. More information.

Questions & Answers

What important points do I need to consider when having my qualifications validated?

Before you apply to have your qualifications validated in Constance, please read carefully the information provided on the website of the Center for International Students (Studienkolleg).

The deadlines for applying to have your qualifications validated are May 1 for the winter semester and November 1 for the summer semester.

After these deadlines the Center for International Students will still process your application, but only with regard to your applying to start your studies a semester later.

How can I get certificates obtained in another country recognised?

If you are a German citizen and have obtained your Abitur in another country, and your place of residence is abroad or in Baden-Wuerttemberg, your certificates can be recognised by the Regional Commission in Stuttgart.

If your place of residence is in another German federal state, your certificates can be recognised by the certificate recognition authority of the respective federal state.

Applicants with other educational qualifications obtained in another country can use the databank anabin (recognition and assessment of educational qualifications obtained abroad) to gain a first impression of whether their qualifications are approximately equivalent to qualifications awarded in the German educational system.

What language skills do I need?

To be admitted to a degree programme in Reutlingen, you must have adequate German language skills.

Valid language certificates are:

DSH - German Language Exam for Academic Purposes - at least level 2

TestDaF - Test of German as a Foreign Language - at least level TDN 3 and at least 14 points overall

The German language part of the Assessment Exam (Festellungsprüfung) of a centre for international students (Studienkolleg)

For the Bachelor’s degree programme International Business, knowledge of German is not necessary as this degree programme is taught in English.

The Institute for Foreign Languages (IfF) offers intensive German courses before the beginning of the winter and summer semesters. These courses are designed for international students who have been admitted to Reutlingen University. Click here for more information.

Do I need a certificate from the Academic Examinations Centre?

Applicants from China, Mongolia and Vietnam must include an original certificate from the Academic Examinations Centre (Akademische Prüfstelle APS) with their application.

What else do I need to enter Germany?

Visas International students need a student visa before they can enter a degree programme in Germany (this does not apply to applicants from EU or EEA states). This must be applied for from the relevant consulate before travelling to Germany.

Residence Permits International students who are not citizens of a member state of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland need a residence permit for their studies in Germany. The responsible authority is the department for foreign nationals (Ausländerbehörde) in your town of residence in Germany.

Health Insurance Anyone wishing to study in Germany must have health insurance for the entire period of study. In Germany there are two ways to become insured by a health insurance company. This can be via the state insurance scheme or a private insurance company. Every student must contact a state insurance company before registering at the university in order to obtain either a certificate of health insurance or a certificate of exemption. Without either a certificate of health insurance or a certificate of exemption, it is not possible to register at the university. For students aged 30 and over, a certificate of health insurance is not necessary.

Recognition of Foreign Health Insurance from an EU Country There are health and social care agreements between Germany and certain countries (EU and EEA states). If you have state health insurance in your home country, you can get this insurance cover recognised by a state health insurance company in Germany. For students from EU states, this is generally by means of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

Your application

Do you have a non-German University Entrance Qualification? Do you wish to study at Reutlingen University as a full-time student and take your whole degree with us?

Then click here to read the information from our central Registry about application and studying in Reutlingen.

If you would like to improve your knowledge of the German language, click here to explore the courses we offer in German as a Foreign Language.